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Galley Tables

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The question of union representation
for Kodiak city employees, including the Kodiak Police Department, may be left up
to voters to decide. That is if proponents can gather enough signatures by the
upcoming deadline. KMXT's Erik Wander has more.

The Alaska Public Safety Employees
Association, or PSEA, is the union that represents public safety groups across
the state. Kodiak City Manager Aimee Kniaziowski said some members of the
Kodiak Police Department previously expressed interest in representation
through PSEA. Representatives from the group made a presentation to the Kodiak
City Council earlier this year. However, the council took no action. Kniaziowski
said that in the 1970s, the city of Kodiak,
like many communities in the state, opted out of the Public Employee Relations
Act, or PERA, which determined employees' rights.

--(Kniaziowski
120
sec."As an employer, the city
... opted out of PERA.")

Kniaziowski
said efforts are currently underway to change the way the city engages in
communication and conflict resolution with its employees. She said many but not
all police departments in the state are represented by PSEA, and that the
current efforts to gain representation were most likely rooted in police
efforts to unionize.

--(Kniaziowski
233
sec."PSEA actively recruits
in ... if it gets on the ballot.")

The
petition Kniaziowski referred to is sponsored in part by the American
Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, with which PSEA is directly
affiliated. If successful, it would put the unionization issue on the fall general
election ballot. She said 13 petition packets are currently circulating among
public employees, who are being approached for support. She said that from her
perspective, the most interest continues to be expressed by the police
department, but she doesn't have a good feel for general support or lack
thereof.

According to Kniaziowski, all 13 petition packets are
to be submitted together to the City Clerk with a total of 225 signatures by
July 21st. If certified, the issue will go on the fall ballot. The city council
will hold a special meeting and executive session on July 20th to discuss the
matter.